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 Evan
Cattanach, Diageo’s long-serving Scotch
whisky ambassador and Master Distiller
Emeritus, was last night awarded the
Lifetime Achievement Award at Whisky
Magazine’s Icons of Whisky ceremony in
London.
The award was presented by Dave Broom,
whisky writer and contributing editor,
and the Magazine’s editor, Rob Allanson.
Accepting the award, Evan said simply:
"This has not been work, it’s been a
pleasure."
Born in Kingussie in the heart of the
Highlands in 1931, Evan began work on
his father’s farm, then spent some time
in the Royal Navy. He joined DCL as a
management trainee in 1961.
During his long career, Evan had built
his vast knowledge of malt distilling at
the absolutely iconic distilleries like
Talisker, Lagavulin and Cardhu, and
equally famous ones. such as Caol Ila,
Dalwhinnie and Cragganmore. But also
worked at some forgotten ones; Rosebank,
Towiemore, Coleburn and Linlithgow:
fifteen distilleries in all.
Evan retired from Cardhu in 1993, and
relocated to the United States to work
first for Schieffelin and Somerset, and
then Diageo there, relentlessly
promoting both Johnnie Walker and the
Classic Malts across the continent.
Congratulating Evan, Nick Morgan,
Diageo’s Scotch Knowledge & Heritage
Director, said: "I couldn’t count how
many people Evan Cattanach has spoken to
over the years, how many he has inspired
with his passion for Scotch Whisky, or
for that matter how many bottles were
sold on the basis of his personal
intervention. I do know that few could
resist his charms when he spoke (and
sometimes sang) about the subject most
dear to his heart – many in his
audiences left loving Scotch, and not a
few left loving him. His contribution to
the industry over the years has been
simply immense, and few deserve such an
honour as the Icons of Whisky Lifetime
Achievement Award more than Evan."
In the same week, Evan was also
recognised for his lifetime achievement
by the respected US whisky magazine,
Malt Advocate.
Following his father’s footsteps, Evan’s
son Gregor is also a global whisky
ambassador for Diageo.
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